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authoritative letter to Father Gillis, of Antigonish, a man of great local influence, to be used in the county, gFving his reasons for supporting Mr. Thompson’s candidature. His lordship sent his letter to me on its way to the post office unsealed, with the frllowing note :—
“ ARICIIAT, Tuesday afternoon. MY DI~:AR SIR,
Be pleased to glance over my letter to Father Gillis. It has been written amid many distractions, but I think it covers the ground sufficiently to show my advocacy of Thompson, and my reasons therefor.
Yours faithfully,
(sgd) + JOHN CAMERON.
P.S.—I have had no time to take a copy of the letter.”
It is needless to say the letter, (of which I did not fail to take a copy,) was clear and to the point, but it failed to effect the purpose for which it was intended, as the sequel will show.
A day or two after the Bishop’s messenger had called on me, I received the following letter from the Hon. James McDonald :—
“ HALIFAX, 23rd Oct., I877.
MY DEAR MILLER,
I am afraid I deserve the scalping administed in yours of the 17th inst., although I did not really intend to be disrespectful or negligent. The truth is I have been running about s.) much lately, and so occupied in Rigby’s absence, that I had for- gotten I had not written to you, although the subject of our correspondence was con- stantly present to my mind. The most severe portion of your letter was the suppo- sition that Conscientious scruples had intervened. Let us only secure Thompson’s return, and I shall have no difficulty with Iny Presbyterian conscience.
You have managed the whole business admirably, and have thereby imposed another obligation on your political friends. Your last letter settled any scruples that Thompson may have had and he informed me yesterday that he had telegraphed you that he was ready whenever you gave the word. I know no one more admirably fitted to manage a matter of the kind than Father McDonald, and Ilook to an elec- tion by acclamation, but I think no time should now be lost. Thompson’s candi- dature is now talked of openly, and the longer definite operations are delayed, the Inore likely will trouble arise. It is becoming every day more important to have Thompson in the local House this session. * * *
Yours truly,
(Sgd) jAs. MCDONALD. Hon. Senator Miller